Careers at Virginia Tech

The Department of Chemical Engineering at Virginia Tech seeks applications for tenure track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor with research focused on macromolecular science and engineering. Research areas that are relevant to advanced/additive manufacturing of soft matter, health and/or medicine are particularly encouraged. We are seeking candidates motivated to contribute to a collegial, interdisciplinary community with a strong tradition of both fundamental and applied research.

The Department (http://www.che.vt.edu) currently has 18.5 full-time faculty members, including several early career awardees and holders of endowed professorships. The department is home to nearly 300 undergraduate and 60 graduate students. The department benefits from excellent facilities with most of the faculty located in Goodwin Hall. Disciplinary areas of specialization include polymer science and engineering, biomedical engineering, catalysis and surface science, colloids and interfaces, membranes and advanced separations, process systems engineering, AI-based multiscale modeling, and supercritical fluids. The current annual departmental research expenditures exceed $4.0 M.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH

Virginia Tech is a public land-grant university, committed to teaching and learning, research, and outreach to the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world. Building on its motto of Ut Prosim (that I may serve), Virginia Tech is dedicated to InclusiveVT—serving in the spirit of community, diversity, and excellence. Virginia Tech actively seeks a broad spectrum of candidates to join our community in preparing leaders for the world. The College of Engineering undergraduate program ranks 16th and graduate program ranks 30th among all U.S. engineering schools (USN&WR). The Mission of the College of Engineering is to educate and inspire our students to be critical thinkers, innovators and leaders. Our core values are inclusiveness, excellence, integrity, perseverance and stewardship.

This faculty position will be located at Virginia Tech's main campus, located in Blacksburg, Virginia, in an area consistently ranked among the country's best places to live. In addition, our program in the Washington, D.C. area offers unique proximity to government and industry partners and is also expanding rapidly, with Virginia Tech’s exciting new Innovation Campus in Alexandria, VA, slated to open in early 2025. Collaborations with clinicians from the Virginia Tech Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus and Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine are possible to support health/medical research areas. Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration across the University include the Macromolecules Innovation Institute (MII), a university research center with over 70 affiliated faculty members whose research focuses on polymer science and engineering. Housed within MII is the Materials Characterization Laboratory (MCL), providing access to extensive centralized polymer characterization facilities. Further, the U.S. NSF-sponsored NanoEarth Center, the ICTAS supported Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication Laboratory (NCFL), and the Advanced Research Computing (ARC) Center provide additional centralized instrumentation and computational facilities.

The successful candidate will have a PhD in Chemical Engineering or a closely related field, a strong record of academic accomplishments and a proven ability to work collaboratively, a commitment to interdisciplinary research and instruction, and a willingness to expand disciplinary boundaries to address complex technical and societal challenges.

Required Application Materials

Applicants must apply online at jobs.vt.edu (posting number 531174). Application materials include a cover letter, CV, up to three relevant research publications, and contact information for at least three professional references. In addition, applicants must provide a research statement and a statement of teaching and mentoring philosophy (limited to 3 pages each). These statements should include the candidate’s ideas for supporting an equitable and inclusive educational environment consistent with the Virginia Tech Principles of Community; specific examples of experiences, activities, and plans will help us identify candidates who can support and extend our University’s commitment to inclusive excellence. Review of applications will commence on December 1, 2024 and continue until the position is filled. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Dr. Michael Bortner at mbortner@vt.edu.

Regular

Commensurate with experience

12/1/2024

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance.  These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.